Info-Corner
Bioplast® is a trademarked plastic for medical purposes. It was developed in Austria in 1998 and is still manufactured in Tyrol. It was previously sold under the name PMFK.
Bioplast® is a biocompatible polymer, flexible and can be cut to any length and threaded with any metal ball.
Bioplast® adapts to body temperature and not, like metals, to the outside temperature. Therefore, the likelihood of swelling and infection is lower in people who get pierced with Bioplast®. The healing process is faster than with other materials and there are no allergic reactions (no nickel).
Bioplast® can be sterilised in an autoclave and is not visible on X-rays when used alone and without metal attachments.
SS316L is a surgical implant grade that is the most commonly used material for body jewellery. The two most common standards for steel body jewellery are ASTM F138 and ISO 5832-1, which describe the quality of steel for surgical implants.
The element in stainless steel that very rarely causes allergic reactions in some people is nickel. Polishing the jewellery to a mirror finish creates a protective layer of chromium oxide, which reduces the release of nickel into the tissue. Surgical steel can be sterilised in an autoclave.
All of our solid gold jewellery is made from 18-carat (750) gold, which offers the perfect balance between purity and strength – ideal for body jewellery. While pure 24-carat gold is too soft for piercings, 18-carat gold offers both durability and elegance.
What sets us apart is the origin of our gold: we use pure gold refined by Morris and Watson, one of Australasia’s largest and most reputable gold refiners. This company is trusted worldwide for its quality and ethical sourcing.
To produce 18-carat gold, we combine pure gold with other metals such as silver, copper or palladium. This process, called alloying, gives the gold its colour (yellow, pink or white) and strength.
Some customers may see ‘alloy materials’ and worry that there is no real gold in the item, but rest assured: all our 18-carat gold items contain 75% pure gold – this is indicated by the number ‘750’ laser-engraved on each piece. For small items, you may need to use a jeweller’s loupe to see the tiny laser marking.
Why does gold tarnish?
Some customers occasionally notice a darkening (tarnishing) of gold jewellery. This happens because 18-carat gold contains other metals that can react with air, moisture or skin care products. Pure 24-carat gold does not tarnish, but it is too soft for wearable jewellery.
The good news is that tarnish is easy to remove. Simply rub the jewellery with a silver polishing cloth (available at most shops) and it will shine like new again. For more severe tarnish, a gentle silver cleaner or household remedy will help.
Yellow gold:
Rose gold:
White gold:
Cobalt-chromium alloys are highly corrosion-resistant and incredibly strong, making them difficult to break, bend, deform or even scratch. At the same time, they have an attractive white colour and a shine reminiscent of precious metals such as white gold, rhodium or platinum. Even titanium, which is highly regarded in the piercing industry, cannot compete with its colour. It is often used in the dental industry and for medical implants such as knee and hip joints. The alloy we use is nickel, cadmium and lead-free and therefore REACH-compliant.
Organic body jewellery is made from various natural materials such as water buffalo horn, water buffalo bone and various types of wood, which have been used by many cultures in the past. Natural materials are not suitable for unhealed piercings or for stretching existing piercings. They are sensitive to fluctuations in heat and humidity. Autoclaving, use in saunas or display in showcases exposed to sunlight is therefore not recommended. Natural materials can absorb oils and sweat from the skin, thereby reducing odour formation.
Platinum is a naturally occurring precious metal known for its exquisite beauty, durability and versatility. Platinum belongs to the platinum group of metals, which also includes palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. In its purest form, platinum is 95% pure and is commonly referred to as ‘PT950’ (meaning that 950 parts per thousand are platinum). This high degree of purity ensures its exceptional quality and value.
With its unrivalled brilliance and lustre, platinum has a unique white-silver appearance that distinguishes it from other metals. Platinum’s reflective properties create a striking, mirror-like shine that captures and enhances the brilliance of gemstones and diamonds. Unlike white gold, platinum does not need to be coated.
One of the outstanding features of platinum is its exceptional durability. It is highly resistant to corrosion, tarnishing and wear, making it an ideal choice for body jewellery. Unlike other metals, platinum retains its lustre and does not fade or discolour over time.
Platinum is hypoallergenic, making it an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin or metal allergies. The limited availability of platinum contributes to its appeal and value.
In this process, the jewellery is placed in a heated chamber under high vacuum. Applying an electrical voltage creates a plasma in the chamber. Introducing various gases causes ion bombardment, which atomises the cathode material (gold PVD (18K/24K) = genuine 18-carat or 24-carat gold // rose gold PVD (RG) = genuine rose gold // black PVD (PB) = titanium/titanium carbonitride // cobalt-chrome PVD (CC) = cobalt-chrome) into tiny particles. These particles then settle on the jewellery and form a durable and biocompatible layer.
PVD coating is particularly known for its high resistance, scratch resistance and durability, making it a popular choice for jewellery manufacturers. The jewellery can be autoclaved.
Gold PVD
Our surgical steel and titanium items are coated with 24-carat real gold, while our nickel-free cobalt-chromium items are coated with 18-carat real gold.
18K Gold:
24K Gold:
Rose gold:
Black:
Cobalt-Chromium:
Titanium is ideal for initial piercings and healed piercings, as it complies with the EU Nickel Directive introduced in Europe in 2001. Due to its virtually ‘nickel-free’ content, titanium has become one of the preferred materials for piercing jewellery within the European Union. Ti6AL-4V, ASTM F-136, is the specification for the alloy used in surgical implants. Titanium weighs only half as much as steel and is twice as strong. Titanium can be sterilised in an autoclave.
Acrylic comes in many shapes and colours. It cannot be sterilised in an autoclave and may break if immersed in disinfectant chemicals such as alcohol or similar substances. It is not suitable for initial piercings. Its biggest advantage is its low price.
Our Wildfleisch discs are made from transparent, high-purity silicone. This material is soft yet durable and ensures gentle pressure distribution, minimising irritation around piercings. The non-porous surface promotes hygiene and makes cleaning easier, while the natural flexibility ensures a comfortable and secure fit.
Gemstone lovers have long prized amethyst, the purple variety of quartz, for its deep colour and clear crystal. Amethyst gets its purple colour from its iron content and natural irradiation beneath the earth’s surface. Over the centuries, amethysts have inspired spiritual symbolism in many societies.
A yellow to reddish-orange variety of quartz, this gemstone is available in many sizes and is a durable choice for any jewellery setting. The growing fashion for ‘earth tones’ has made this readily available gemstone, which has been declared an alternative to topaz, a popular jewellery stone in recent years.
The modern birthstone for August, peridot has been prized as a gemstone since ancient times. It is always green in colour, but with considerable variation, with the shade of a peridot depending on its origin. The name peridot comes from the Middle English ‘peritot’. In the Middle Ages, the gemstone was considered to have healing powers that could cure depression and open the heart.
Moonstone is found all over the world and is prized for its blue to white adularescence – a wavy, moonlight-like shimmer. Although somewhat fragile, this alternative birthstone for the month of June is a popular choice for jewellery. With its mysterious shimmer reminiscent of moonlight, moonstone has been prized for millennia, and its popularity has grown even more in recent times. This shimmering effect, known as adularescence, is caused by a fine layering of feldspar minerals just below the surface of the gemstone.
Gemstone Sapphire
Few gemstones have captured our attention over the millennia as much as the sapphire. The pure blue colours and excellent durability of this gemstone from the corundum family make it an extraordinary gemstone. But not all sapphires are blue; they come in all colours of the rainbow. Except red. Sapphires have long been associated with royalty and are among the most popular.
Gemstone Diffusion Sapphire
Diffusion sapphires: Diffusion treatment is usually used to add colour to a colourless cut gemstone by adding foreign chemicals at the atomic level. Some sapphires are treated in this way to enhance their colour and reduce the price for the same appearance.
After blue, pink is the most prized sapphire colour. Since sapphires and rubies are both varieties of corundum, pink forms the boundary between rubies and sapphires, as pink is commonly considered a light shade of red. Today, it is more common to refer to them as pink sapphires rather than pink rubies.
They are named after the town of Songea in Tanzania, which is the place of origin of this gemstone. The sapphires found here are usually yellow, orange and red in colour.
Ruby is one of the most popular traditional gemstones and is exceptionally durable. Its colours – always red – can achieve a vivid saturation. High-quality rubies are among the most expensive gemstones. The exceptional hardness of this gemstone makes it very scratch-resistant. Thanks to this property, ruby jewellery can be worn every day and for any occasion. The highly prized deep red colour of the best rubies is popularly associated with love and passion. A ruby can have a strong symbolic meaning. Inclusions that would diminish the appeal of other stones can give a ruby a unique character.
Since ancient times, the emerald has been synonymous with the colour green. A fine emerald is a truly breathtaking sight, and this member of the beryl family deserves its place among the traditional ‘Big Four’ gemstones alongside diamond, ruby and sapphire. The name comes from the Greek smaragdos for ‘green’, via the Latin smaragdus to Middle English esmeralde. The emeralds we use in our products come from Brazil and have a bright green colour. Emeralds usually have internal fractures, so clean them with warm water and soap at room temperature. Avoid wearing a gemstone in places where it will be subjected to heavy wear and tear. Due to the inclusions inside an emerald, it is not advisable to clean these gemstones in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Lab created diamonds are 100% diamonds. The only difference is that they originate in a laboratory rather than the earth. Created diamonds are identical to mined diamonds in terms of chemical composition, hardness, brilliance and fire – just as an orchid grown in a greenhouse is identical to an orchid grown in nature.
Artificial diamonds are a responsible and environmentally friendly choice.
The main difference between natural and lab created gemstones lies in their origin. Natural stones are formed geologically over a long period of time, while synthetic stones are produced in laboratories using precise methods.
Lab created Paraiba is made from yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG), a synthetic crystalline material commonly used in jewellery making. It has a hardness of 8.5 on the Mohs scale and offers excellent mechanical strength and durability.
Lab created sapphire, also known as synthetic corundum, consists mainly of aluminium oxide. With a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, it is one of the hardest materials in existence, second only to diamond. While the chemical composition of natural and synthetic sapphire is the same, the controlled manufacturing process of synthetic sapphire results in more uniform and potentially higher-quality crystals.
Lab created opal (GIA: polymer-impregnated synthetic opal) is impregnated in the laboratory over a period of approximately one year and has similar properties to natural opal. The main difference to natural opal is that the naturally occurring process has been accelerated in the laboratory. Our lab created opal is a beautiful opal with perfect colour dynamics – it reveals the beauty of precious opal. The opal material from KYOCERA Corporation in Japan consists of at least 80% silica and has beautiful and vivid opal colours. This material should not be confused with opal-like plastics that are sold as imitations or fakes of opal. These materials usually contain 80% resin and only 20% silica. Therefore, they are not considered ‘laboratory-grown opal’.
Glass ceramics are composite materials consisting of nanocrystalline particles evenly distributed in a glass matrix. This combination of amorphous and crystalline states results in a type of material with unique properties. With a hardness roughly equivalent to that of topaz or emerald and special optical properties similar to those of tourmaline, nano gemstones are ideal for imitation gemstones as they eliminate the usual disadvantages of crystals. Just as cubic zirconia is perfect for imitating diamonds, nano gemstones are the best imitations for coloured stones. With their seemingly endless colour variations, they can fulfil the dreams of any designer.
Freshwater cultured pearls owe their name to the fact that they are cultivated in freshwater lakes or ponds, with China and the United States being the main countries of origin. In pearl cultivation, a foreign object is implanted into the oyster to activate the secretion process. This cultivation phase takes years until pearls are formed. In freshwater, it generally takes 2-7 years, depending on the natural habitat of the host. The longer the cultivation process takes, the larger the expected pearl size. Slight variations in colour and shape are a sign of their individuality and natural occurrence. Their unique shapes and wide range of colours, combined with their attractive prices and charming character, have made them a favourite among jewellery designers, buyers and pearl lovers. Care instructions for freshwater cultured pearls
- Wear them often. Pearls love a moist environment, so wear them frequently to prevent them from drying out.
- After each wear, wipe the pearls with a non-abrasive cloth to remove oil or other residues.
- If your pearl is visibly dirty, wipe it with a soft cloth dipped in a mixture of lukewarm water and mild soap. Do not immerse the pearl in water, as the collateral material adhering to the pearl may not fare well with liquid.
- Dry the pearl thoroughly before storing it in a flat, fabric-lined case to prevent scratches on the soft pearl surface.
- Never clean pearls with steam or ultrasonic cleaners, as this could damage the pearl’s nacre layer.
Cubic zirconia is currently the most popular substitute for diamonds because they look identical to the untrained eye. Cubic zirconia, or CZ as it is known, is made from zirconium dioxide, a different material to diamonds, which have a different chemical composition but are closer than any other gemstone to the properties of a diamond. Natural CZ was first discovered in 1899, but it was not until the late 1970s that man-made CZ was first produced for use in jewellery. At first glance, CZ looks like a diamond, but on closer inspection there are differences. It has a weight between 5.6 and 6.0, which means it is 1.6 times heavier than a diamond. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, a refractive index of 2.176 and a dispersion of 0.060, which means that it is not as hard as a diamond, sparkles slightly less, but shows more prismatic fire, which means that more colour sparkles within the gemstone. Another important point is that natural diamonds have impurities, which is not the case with CZ. They are also clear in colour, which is not the case with most diamonds, but they can be coloured by adding metal oxides during the production process. Unlike diamonds, CZ are good heat insulators, which means that while they will get warm, they cannot withstand the same heat as diamonds, which is a test used to distinguish diamonds from CZ. Caring for CZ is important because they are more brittle than diamonds and more susceptible to wear and tear such as chipping and scratching over time.
